Chapter Ten The King's Flute

When the music was over, the poor farmer said to the king, "Don't get us wrong, your majesty. We're indeed truly happy to see you."

"Oh but you don't look happy, good sir!" said King Daku Makins.

"You see, your majesty," said the farmer, "we're sad because we just lost our pig yesterday. We woke up to find it dead, and it's all we've got for livelihood."

When the king and those around heard this, they were all truly heartbroken."Well, come along then, you and your family," the king said with a cheerful voice. " Let's see what we can do to make your family happy again."

So the farmer and his family join the entourage of the king. The next day, the king said to the farmer, " from now on, you are to become the royal farmer. You will feed and tend the king's livestock; goats, pig and poultry. And at the end of each month, a handsome wage will be paid to you.

You will also be provided with a nice accommodation fitting for the royal farmer."

The farmer was very excited.He bowed and thanked the king with all his heart. "Thank you, your majesty! Thank you so much! You're very kind. May your reign be long and prosperous."

So from that time on, the farmer and his family had their home on the palace grounds. They became very comfortable and happy. There was always music in the palace to keep everyone in high spirit. And there was enough food, so that no one was even hungry.

A while later, something very terrible happened in the land. The king woke up and discovered that his golden flute was missing! He was alarmed and greatly distressed. He must have placed the flute on the table beside his bed before going to sleep. But now,it was gone! " Who could have taken the flute?" The king wondered. Was someone trying to play a rude prank on him?

King Daku called his servants and they searched the entire room. But the flute was not found. Then he asked them to search every other room in the palace. Still,they searched the palace grounds, the gardens, the barns and bathrooms. But the flute was nowhere around. It seemed to have vanished into thin air.

"Go and search everywhere!" cried the king desperately. "Search everywhere in this kingdom until you have found my golden flute!"

So the servants and guards went from doors to doors as they searched for the missing royal flute. After searching for many days, the servants and guards came before the king.

" Have you found my flute?" asked King Daku "Where is it?"

"No,your highness," they answered quietly, afraid of what the king would do.

" we have searched everywhere but did not find the flute."

" What!" Cried the king. " Out! Get out of my presence at once!"

The king became truly sad. " Where could my flute be?" He sighed deeply. " Who in this kingdom could have taken my flute?"

As the days wore on, his sadness grew worse.without his flute, there was no longer music in the palace. Everywhere became dull and quiet. The king wore a long face all day and he refused to eat any food.

"You must try and eat" said a servant,when my flute is missing? How can I play my music without my flute?" he asked, feeling frustrated.

". Don't worry, your majesty, your flute will be found," they told him. " But if not, we will surely get you another golden flute as precious as the one you have lost," they promised him.

"No!" cried the king. "No, I don't want another flute! I want my old flute back or will have no other." Then he walked away into his inner chamber, leaving the men standing there in confusion. They all stood there wondering what to do to comfort the king, yet no one knew just what to do.

The next day, the king had an idea. He immediately called all his servants, guards, advisers and counsellors to the palace.

"Anyone who is able to find my missing flute will be given a fair amount of gold for his trouble.Then I will grant him his one wish in the kingdom. Now go and spread the word," he commanded them.

So everyone became involved in the search.They knew king was quite generous, and would keep his word about rewarding anyone who could find the flute.

With the added incentive,king Daku hoped that before long, his flute would be found and brought back to him. Daily, he waited anxiously for news to be brought concerning the flute. But after a month,no word had come.

" Oh, dear," thought king Daku Makins in despair. "Will I ever find my beloved flute again? Oh, no!"

Shortly afterward, while king Jaja and his people were still sad and mourning the loss of the king's golden flute, the farmer's son went out into the garden to hunt rabbits. It was quite a large garden filled with tall trees and colorful flowers and singing birds. Lots of rodents often came into the garden to pick nuts. There were nuts all over the forest garden.

The farmer's son, whose name was sunny, was quite a good rabbit hunter. He knew exactly where the rabbits were hiding, and he knew how to set the traps to catch them. He had caught a few rabbits so far. sunny loved to eat rabbit soup, and his mother was the best cook he knew.

As he wandered into the garden, sunny paused every few minutes to consider the path carefully.